Pressing machine



1366- 1935. G. w. JOHNSON PRESSING MACHINE Filed July 18, 1934 vlNVENTOR GEORGE w. JOHNSON.

TQRNEYS Patented Dec. 24, 1935 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Application July 18, 1934, Serial No. 735,800

12 Claims.

Thisinvention relates to a press of the type used in laundry and garment work. More particularly it relates to a press in which a pair of coacting pressing members are movable in a path toward and away from each other and inwhich the pressing members are provided with coacting portions for causing a pressing effect in two directions, namely, one pressing effect substantially transverse of the path of movement and the other effect substantially parallel to the path of movement.

A press of the typedescribed is particularly advantageous in pressing articles of the general form of mens shirts or the like. The arrangement of the pressing surfaces for pressing in two directions simultaneously permits, for instance, the pressing of the bosom and a portion of each side of the shirt in one lay, and the pressing or ironing of the back and the remaining side por- 2,0 tions of the .shirt in another lay, thus finishing the body of the shirtin two lays.

object of this invention is to provide novel means-for creating a pressing effect on two pressing surfaces arranged at an angleto each other and so arranged-that thepressing effect on each surface may be controlledindependently of the other, that isrto say, pressing maybe accomplished-ona substantially flat horizontal surface orv upon depending side surfaces or upon both surfaces, as desired.

Myinventionprovides certain novelmeans for carrying out the above described pressing operations and other advantageous features thereof will be apparent from the accompanying description together with the drawing which illustrates oneembodiment thereof.

Inthe drawing, Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a pressing machine embodying my invention and showing the pressing members in openposition inrfull lines, and in closed position but before accomplishing; the side ironing movement in the broken lineposition; Fig. 2 is a side elevation of-the pressing machine of Fig. lshowing the partswith the press incompletely closed position; Fig. 3 is an enlargedsectionalview transversely. of the bedand chest showing by dash-dot lines the position of the side ironing wingswhen out of-pressing position; while Fig.v 4 is a section along the line 4-4 of Fig. 2 showing the operatingpedals.

My'iinvention: comprises in general the combination of apair of coacting pressing members each havinga central portion and depending side pressing portions, together with means for mov- 5 ing: the central portions into pressing engagement and other means for causing relative pressing movement betweenthe side portions only. So far as I know, no one .has heretofore provided a pressing machine having a pressing operation between generally horizontal pressing surfaces 5 and another pressing operation independent of said first operation and taking place in a direction substantially normal to the direction of the first operation. .I have contemplated various means for carrying out this novel pressing -ar- 10 rangement and I have chosen to illustrate in the presentv casemechanical means for producing the desired results.

The machine shown comprises a frame l0 supporting a pedestal H on which is mounted the 15 pressing bed indicated generally at l2. On the frame is anupwardly extending bracket I3 pivotally supporting ahead lever M which carries a chestor head member 15. As is well known, one or both of the pressing members may be 20 heated and preferably .in the form shown the head member l5 only isheated in any manner desired. The headand bed members have coacting centralpressing portions I6 and I1 respectively, and depending side portions 18 on the 25 head and IS on the bed, and means is provided for moving the central portions into coacting position and for thereafter causing a relative pressing motion between the depending side pressing portionsas desired. That is to say, the central portions maybe used alone or the side portions mightbe used with substantially little effectbetween the central portions, although it is contemplated that in general both the pressing movements would be utilized.

Means is provided for moving the head into and out of its coacting position with the bed, that shown comprising a toggle mechanism composed of toggles 20 and v2|, which is adapted to be moved towards straightened position by a sec- 9 0nd toggle mechanism comprising link 22 and lever 23 which is pivotally supported on the frame at 24: and oscillated by a link 25 connected with: a pedal 26 which in turn is pivotally mounted ,on the frame at 27. The upper toggle mem- & ber 29 is provided with a reduced portion 28 adapted to operatively engage in a pin 29 freely mounted in the head lever. The members 20 and 28 are provided with a relative longitudinal movementby means of a threaded connection controlled by. adjusting nut 30 so as to shorten or lengthen the toggle member to produce any desired pressure contact between the head and bed; .the lower toggle member 2| is pivotally mounted on pin 2'l supported by bearings 3| and. 5-5

32 on the frame. It will be obvious from an inspection of Figs. 1 and 2 that pressure downward- 1y on the pedal 26 will serve to straighten both the toggle mechanisms described and so move the head lever in a manner to position the head and bed in coacting pressing relationship.

A latching pin 33 on the pedal 26 engages a notch 2 in a latching lever 35 so as to maintain the head in its closed position. A spring 36 is connected between the rear end of the head iever and the frame in a manner tending to move the head toward open position. Thus, when the latching lever is depressed, spring 36 will return the head to the open position indicated by full lines in Fig. 1.

One form of bed construction is shown in Fig. 3 Where the main bed casting 3'! is shown pivotally supporting depending side wing portions 38 and 39. In the form shown, bell crank levers 40 and 4! are pivotally mounted on the main casting at and 13 respectively, and one leg of the bell crank lever is secured to the depending wings while the other leg of the bellcrank lever is provided with a slotted connection 44 and 45 with a pin 46 carried by a link 47, the lower end of which is provided with a. ball 18 entering a bracket or socket 49 carried by a pedal 58 which in turn is pivotally supported on the frame at 21. Pressure on pedal 5% thus serves to move the bell crank 40 clockwise and bell crank 4| counterclockwise about their respective pivots so as to produce relative pressing movement between the depending side portions of the bed and the coacting similar portions of the head. A spring 5| is compressed between the ball 48 and the bracket 49 when pressure is thus applied by means of the pedal 59 so that the wing members are resiliently held' against the depending side portions of the head. A pin 52 on lever 59 engages a notch in the latching lever 53 similar to that described in connection with lever 35 so as to maintain the side pressing portions in pressure engagement. A

spring 54 is compressed between the frame and a collar 55 mounted on link 41 when the side pressing members are in their pressing position. Dopression of latching lever 53 releases pin 52 from its engaging notch whereupon spring 54 moves the rod 41 upwardly thus retracting the wing portions 38 and .39;

The latching lever 53 and 35 are juxtaposed so.

that while they may be separately operated they are also readily engaged simultaneously by a foot of the operator so as to release both of the pressing mechanisms at the same time.

To provide a continuous pressing surface over the entire bed, I have shown spring padding 56 extending across the central portion and side pressing portions of the bed which may be surmounted by a cover cloth 51. It will be understood, however, that other arrangements of the pressing surface are within the scope of my present inveneach having a central portion and depending side pressing portions, means for causing relative movement of said central portions into juxtaposition, and other means for causing relative pressing movement between said side portions only.

2. In a press of the class described, the combi= nation of a pair of coacting pressing members each having a central portion and a side portion positioned at an angle to said central portion, said side portion of one of said members being arranged for movement relative to the central portion thereof and toward and from the coacting side portion of the other member, continuous pressing surface means extending across said central and side portion of the last named member, means for causing pressing engagement of said central portions of the members, and means independent of said last named means for moving said movable side portion of one member into pressing engagement with the coacting side portion of the other member.

3. In a press of the class described, the combination of coacting pressing members movable toward each other and each having a pressing surface including a portion extending substan tially transversely of and another portion extending substantially parallel to the path of movement of said members, the parallel extending portion of one of said members being movable relative to said transversely extending portion thereof, means for causing engagement of said transversely extending portions of said members, and means independent of said last named means for causing the pressing engagement of said parallel extending portions of said members.

4. In a press of the class described, the combination of coacting pressing members each having a, pressing surface including a substantially horizontal portion and a substantially vertical portion, means rendering the vertical portion of one of said members movable relative to the horizontal portion thereof, continuous pressing surface means extending across both portions of said last named member, means for causing engagement of said horizontal portions of said members, and means separate from said last named means for moving said movable vertical portion of one' of said members into pressing engagement with the coacting vertical portion of the other member.

5. In a press of the class described, the combination of a pair of coacting pressing members each having a central portion and side portions positioned at an angle to said central portion, the side portions on one of said members being pivotally mounted with respect, to the central portion thereof, continuous pressing surface means extending across said central and side portions. of said last named member, means for causing; pressing engagement of said central portions of said members, and means independent of said last named means for moving said pivoted side portions of one member into pressing engagement with the side portions of the other member.

6. In a press of the class described, the combination of a pair of coacting elongated pressing members, each having longitudinally extending depending side pressing portions, means for mov ing said members to position the side portions thereof for coaction, means rendering the side pressing portions of one member movable rela-. tive to the side portions of the other member; and means operative only on said side positions for moving said movable side portions only into pressure engagement.

7. In a pressing machine of the class described, the combination of coacting head and bed pressing members each comprising a central portion and a depending side portion, means rendering said side portion of said bed member movable relative to said central portion thereof, means 7];

for moving the central portion of said head member into engagement with the central portion of said bed member, and means independent of said head member moving means for moving the depending side portion of said bed member into pressing engagement with the side portion of said head member.

8. In a pressing machine of the class described, the combination of a coacting head and bed each comprising a central portion and depending side portions, the side portions of said bed being movable relative to the central portion thereof, cover means providing a continuous pressing surface over said central and side portions of said bed, means for moving the central portion of said head into pressing engagement with the central portion of said bed, and means independent of said head moving means for moving the depending side portions of said bed into pressing engagement with the side portions of said head.

9. In a pressing machine of the class described, the combination of coacting head and bed members each comprising a central portion and depending side portions, the side portions of said bed member including wings pivotally suspended from the central portion thereof, cover means providing a continuous pressing surface over said central and side portions of said bed member, means for moving the central portion of said head member into pressing engagement with the central portion of said bed member, and means independent of said head member moving means for moving said wings about their pivots toward the side portions of said head member.

10. In a pressing machine of the class described, the combination of coacting head and bed pressing members each comprising a central portion and a depending side portion, a bell crank pivotally mounted on the central portion of said bed member, one leg of said bell crank being connected with said side portion of said bed member, the other leg of said bell crank having an operative connection with a pressure applying lever, and means for causing pressing engagement of the central portions of said pressing members, whereupon movement of said lever causes said bell crank to move said side portion of said bed member into pressing engagement with the side portion of said head member.

11. In a press of the class described, the combination of a pair of coacting pressing members, each having a central portion and depending side pressing portions, means for causing relative movement between said members to cause pressing engagement between the central portions thereof, means for causing relative pressing movement between said side portions of the members when said central portions are in pressing relation, holding means for each of said means for maintaining them in pressure applying position, and a release member for each of said holding means, said release members being juxtaposed, whereby the release members may be operated together or separately.

12. In a press of the class described, the combination of a pair of pressing members each having coacting central portions and coacting depending side portions, the side portions of one of said members being movable relative to the central portion thereof, means for moving the central portion of one of said members into pressing engagement with the central portion of the other member, means for moving said movable depending side portions of one member into pressing engagement with the side portions of the other member, and means for varying the relative intensity of the pressing engagement between said central portions and said side portions.

GEORGE W. JOHNSON. 

